Admission Arrangements

ST MARY’S COLLEGE

FEDERATION

Admission Arrangements

2017/18

Introduction

St Mary’s College is a Voluntary Aided, Secondary, Roman Catholic, Co-Educational comprehensive, Day school for pupils aged 11-19, in the Diocese of Middlesbrough.

The school’s Governing Body is the Admissions Authority and is responsible for determining the AdmissionArrangements, Admissions and administering Independent Appeals.

The published admissions number for Yr 7 in September 2017 is 280.

Ethos

The ethos of St Mary’s College is built on the traditions of the Roman Catholic Church, informed by the College’s foundation in relation to the Sisters of Mercy and the Marist Fathers.

We ask all parents applying for a place here to respect this ethos and its importance to the school community.

How and When to Apply

Applications must be made on the Local Authority Common Application Form. All forms must be returned by the closing date set by the Local Authority.

Any applications received after the closing date will be accepted but considered only after those received by the closing date.

Over-subscription Criteria

Where there are insufficient places available to meet all parental preferences, priority will be given to applications in the following order.

a.Children with SEN Statements, Education Health and Care Plans (EHCP) who name the school

b.Children in Public care (see notes)

1.BaptisedRoman Catholic children. (Acceptable baptismal evidence required, see notes)

2Brothers and sisters of children actually in attendance at the College at the time of Admission.

(See notes for definition of siblings)

3.Children of St Thomas More Primary School (St Mary’s College Federation) who have attended

St Thomas More Primary School for at least 12 months prior to the time of application.

4.Children of staff at the School (see notes)

5.Children who are baptised or dedicated members of other Christian Churches as recognised by Churches Together (see notes)

6.Children who have Sporting Aptitude (See notes)

The governing body may increase the priority of an application within a category where written evidence from appropriate professional e.g. Social Services/ Medical Consultant etc. is provided at the time of application of an exceptional social, medical or pastoral need of the child which can be most appropriately met at this school.

Tie-breaker

Where there are places available for some, but not all applicants within a particular criterion, distance from home address to the school entrance will be the deciding factor, Distance will be measured [in a straight line/by the shortest walking route] from the front door of the child’s home address (including flats) to the main entrance of the school, [using the Local Authority’s computerised measuring system], with those living closer to the school receiving the higher priority.

If the admission number is reached when two or more applicants reside an equal measured distance from the school (e.g. residents in the same block of flats) the last place(s) will be allocated by lot. Where the application of this rule would otherwise lead to the separation of twins, or multiple birth siblings, both (or all) will be admitted.

The admissions over subscription criteria will be applied on an Equal Preference Basis.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

Definiton of Looked After Child in Public Care

A looked after child is a child who is (a) in the care of a Local Authority or (b) being provided with accommodation by a local authority in the exercise of their social services functions (see the definition in section 22 (1) of the Children Act 1989)

Definition of Catholic

Children who have been baptised as Catholic or have been formally received into the church.
(Acceptable evidence is a baptismal certificate or the baptism authenticated by Roman Catholic priest)

Definition of Siblings

Same natural parents living at the same address
Half brothers/sisters living at the same address
Stepbrothers/sisters living at the same address
Children with the same natural parents living at different addresses

Category 4

Where the member of staff has been employed at the school for two or more years

at the time at which the application for admission to the school is made,

the member of staff is recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable

skill shortage

Category 5

Churches Together in England See -

Applicants seeking admission under criteria 6 will be required to produce a baptismal certificate or a letter confirming their baptism authenticated by their minister.

Category 6

If applicants are seeking admission under criteria 6 Sporting Aptitude, they will be asked to indicate this on the

Common Application Form issued by the Local Authority. The school will then invite applicants into school to

administer the sporting aptitude analysis assessments. This will take place during the Autumn Term prior to the

Governing Body’s Admissions Committee meeting to allocate places for the following September.

If more applicants pass than there are places available, applicants will be ranked based on the

overall points score, and will be eligible to be put in thiscategory.

Right of Appeal

Where a parent has been notified that a place has not been allocated at the school they have a statutory right of appeal. Further details of the appeals process are available by contacting the college or on the web site.

Waiting Lists

If your child has not been allocated a place, a waiting list is available where priority will be given according to the oversubscription criteria based on the information provided at the time of application. The waiting list will be open until the end of the Autumn Term. A pupil’s position on a waiting list will only be assessed if a place becomes available.

Entry into other School years

Should the numbers of pupils in one of the years, fall below the pupil admission number which was in operation when the age group entered the school, and there are several applicants, a place will be offered to the applicant who is highest ranked in the appropriate criteria of the Admissions over-subscription policy. If there is only one applicant the place would be offered to that pupil.

Admission to the Sixth Form

Admission number for Year 12 is 350. For advanced courses, prospective students must have achieved at least 5 C’s or above at GCSE level across a range of subjects. Entry to BTEC National courses requires those who have previously studied the subject at Level 2 to have achieved at Merit Level or above. English Language at grade C or above is required for all AS/A2 courses. Any additional and specific entry requirements for individual subjects are detailed in course leaflets.

Although we are a Roman Catholic College, students of other religious faiths and, indeed none, are welcome to apply as long as they are supportive of our Christian ethos. Details of this are in our registration documents and Learning Agreement which all students sign when enrolling in the Sixth Form.